The Bay Area is endowed with vibrant cities and wonderful parks, but it also has some of the worst air quality in the nation. The gas appliances in our homes are part of the problem. They worsen asthma and other health problems. Plus, they contribute to climate change.
On October 1st, which was also California Clean Air Day, KALW convened a panel of experts to discuss how replacing gas furnaces and water heaters with newer models, powered by electric heat pumps, can improve public health while cutting air and climate pollution. Transitioning to these new appliances won’t be an option soon. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District plans to ban the sales of new gas water heaters starting in 2027, and followed by gas furnaces in 2029.
In this excerpt, we hear from panelist Zachary Frial, the social development and policy coordinator at the South of Market Community Action Network (SOMCAN) discussing how SOMCAN is working with the San Francisco Environment Department’s Climate Equity Hub to connect renters and homeowners alike with low-cost or free heat pump water heaters.
Panelist Therese Peffer, associate director of the California Institute for Energy and Environment at UC Berkeley, talks about a program called EcoBlock. With funding from the California Energy Commission and an anonymous donor, EcoBlock retrofitted 24 homes along one city block in Oakland with electric appliances and insulation, as well as solar panels on some buildings.
Cooper Marcus, CEO and “chief quitter” at QuitCarbon, which helps homeowners connect with rebates and other incentives for heat pump appliances — as well as contractors to install them — talks about navigating incentives the advantages of working with advisors.
But what is a heat pump, anyway? The event kicked off with a steamy, PG-13 take: The music video for “(I’m Your) Heat Pump” by East Bay duo Michael T Roberts and Will Hammond, Jr., a.k.a Eco Soul.
This excerpt from the panel discussion starts with Nik Kaestner, the senior building decarbonization coordinator at the San Francisco Environment Department, describing what heat pumps are and how they work. (Click the button at top of this page to listen.)
Want to learn more? Here are some resources:
- San Francisco's Environment Dept. offers free heat pump water heaters to income-qualified residents (tenants and landlords).
- SF homeowners can get $50 offer their monthly water bills for 2-3 years by installing a heat pump water heater. More on that and other resources here.
- Community organizations SOMCAN and PODER advocate for clean energy retrofits, especially for renters
- QuitCarbon's free service creates appliance upgrade plans and connects homeowners with contractors and incentives available in cities and counties across the Bay Area.
- The Switch is On includes information on rebates, other incentives, and contractors.
- The EcoBlock website has a trove of information and resources on clean energy retrofits, and will be offering playbooks for homeowners who want to band together to decarbonize entire blocks or neighborhoods.
Special thanks to the Coalition for Clean Air for supporting this event through its microgrant program.
